The Rush: Usain Bolt discusses his bout with Covid and whether the Olympics should continue as planned
Usain Bolt joins The Rush to talk about the naming process for his three children, his bout with Covid and if the Olympics should continue and what he’ll enjoy most about this year’s games in Tokyo.
Video Transcript
JARED QUAY: What are your thoughts on the Olympics going forward despite the pandemic? Are we happy they're here? Or do you think that it's the right time or no?
What's up, everybody? I'm here with eight-time Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt. How you doing today, Usain?
USAIN BOLT: I'm doing good. I'm doing good.
JARED QUAY: You've been busy the last couple of years. You and your partner recently gave birth to twins. How's everybody doing?
USAIN BOLT: Everybody is doing fine. It's been great. A lot more busier now, so-- [LAUGHTER].
JARED QUAY: You actually have three of the dopest names for your children on the planet, which is pretty cool, man-- Olympia Lightning, Saint Leo, and Thunder Bolt. Baby naming is not easy when it comes to close couples. So my question is, how did that process go for you? Did you make those names or did your partner?
USAIN BOLT: She got to name my daughter, and then I got to name my son. So that's what we agreed to. We said, listen, as long as it's not nothing too crazy, it's OK.
JARED QUAY: So you were one of the last people I interviewed before COVID. And it seemed like that was a whole 'nother lifetime ago.
USAIN BOLT: True.
JARED QUAY: I know in 2020 you contracted COVID. How did that impact you?
USAIN BOLT: For me, actually, I didn't actually get any symptoms really. For me, it was just two weeks just in-house, just relaxing, getting some time to myself. You know what I mean? So it wasn't bad for me at all.
JARED QUAY: What are your thoughts on the Olympics going forward despite the pandemic? Are we happy they're here? Or do you think that it's the right time or no?
USAIN BOLT: People are showing that the protocols put in for sports are really getting better. The NBA has been proving that even before now that it can be done. So for me, I'm happy that the athletes actually got a chance to now compete. Because the Olympics big. But I feel like if they put the right protocols in, and everybody follow the rules, it shouldn't be a problem.
JARED QUAY: You know how athletes are. Are they gonna follow the rules? Is that gonna be hard to do?
USAIN BOLT: Well, you have the one and twos. You know how it always goes. You have the one and twos. But majority we are very professional because this is what we do for a living. And they're all excited to get back to compete. You know what I mean? Because it got canceled last year. And the fact that it's on now, people are gonna be really serious and just happy to be a part of it. So I know they will follow the rules.
JARED QUAY: What are you looking forward to most at this Tokyo game? What's exciting you the most?
USAIN BOLT: To me-- oh, my God. I want to try to catch as much events as possible, just to watch everything. Because for me, I never got to watch the Olympics. It was always just work for me. So for me just to actually just sit and watch everything, it don't matter what's on TV, I'm gonna watch. You know what I mean? That's how I feel.
JARED QUAY: That's amazing. I don't think I've ever seen it from your point of view where you're so focused on your heat and your match that you don't really get to see history being happening.
USAIN BOLT: Exactly [AUDIO OUT]. I mean, I've always wanted to watch swimming. Michael Phelps did some great things in the pool. And all I got to see was the replays or hear about it. So for me, it's good to just watch and get to witness it for yourself.
JARED QUAY: You know what's actually even cooler, there's a good name Sha'Carri Richardson, who got some serious swagger. I don't know if you saw the races over the last weekend. She kind of reminds me of you. She was pointing at the screen, showing her time before she finish. Do you like her style?
USAIN BOLT: She's a different vibe to the sport. And that's always good to have different. Do you know what I mean? It brings a different energy to the sport. And for me, she makes me laugh. Just her vibe, her energy. And she has a tough story, but she's a tough cookie. You know what I mean?
JARED QUAY: Oh, yeah. No, definitely, man. And so as a fan of now track, to get to watch it, do you want to see records being broken or what?
USAIN BOLT: Always, man. It's good to see records breaking-- not mine, though. But it's always good to see all the records being broken.
JARED QUAY: What is your favorite off-the-track memory from the Olympics?
USAIN BOLT: Oh, my God. For me, it's just always being at Olympics. Just the vibe-- if you go into the village and see all the construction with everybody's face-- just being there with the people and going to the canteen and seeing all these different stars from these different events and different disciplines, for me, is one of my favorite things just to see everybody. You know what I mean?
JARED QUAY: Yeah. And actually, we had Lindsey Vonn on the show not too long ago. And she told us something that we never really realized. She says that it's hard 'cause some people finish their events in the Olympic Village before other people start. And so she said it's kind of hard to really keep focus sometimes when you're like, your meet's today and these people just finished and they're partying it up.
USAIN BOLT: It's true, it's true, it's true. Because a lot of events are earlier. We are always the last. At track and field, we close the show.
So for me, most people get out with-- gymnastics is very early. So they are done way early before us. So they're just enjoying the moment now. They can come watch track and field, go watch swimming. So for me, it's always different because I have to stay focused on today. But it's still a good vibe. It's good energy just to see everybody.
JARED QUAY: Usain Bolt, fastest man in the world. Thank you for rushing with me today, man. We loved having you on this show.
USAIN BOLT: Appreciate it.